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CREST, the global non-profit organization dedicated to establishing standards in cybersecurity, has launched its new platform, "CREST Marketplace." This initiative aims to assist government entities, regulatory bodies, and enterprises across Africa in directly accessing accredited and trusted cybersecurity service providers amidst a sharp escalation in cyberattacks and associated losses on the continent.

Platform Mechanism and Streamlining Procurement Decisions

The platform enables organizations to search for specialized companies, compare their technical and operational expertise, and select vendors possessing verified competencies tailored to their specific digital protection needs.

Additionally, the platform facilitates direct communication with providers following registration, directory browsing, and shortlisting. This empowers organizations to make informed and transparent purchasing decisions that uphold governance and auditing standards.

Independent Evaluation and Quality Assurance

CREST Marketplace is more than just a general business directory for the sector; listing requires service providers to demonstrate proven competence in specific cybersecurity fields.

CREST independently evaluates vendor capabilities based on rigorous criteria, including:

Governance and Qualification: Verifying that providers employ qualified security professionals and handle sensitive data ethically and responsibly.

Methodology and Quality: Ensuring vendors adhere to structured, repeatable methodologies that deliver reliable and consistent outcomes.

Risk Mitigation: Reducing the overall risk associated with vendor selection and fostering trust within the procurement process.

Cyber Threats in Africa: Facts and Figures

The launch comes at a critical juncture for the African digital landscape. According to a report by Mastercard titled "Africa's Digital Defense Race," key findings include:

Rise in Threats: Cyberattacks in Africa surged by 421.4% between 2016 and 2025, significantly outpacing the global average increase of 307.3%.

Volume of Incidents: In 2025, the continent experienced nearly 70,000 cyber incidents—averaging roughly one attack every eight minutes—with Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya accounting for 54.7% of total recorded incidents.

Threat Sources: Over 60% of attacks were attributed to hackers and organized cybercrime groups, while 25% were linked to state-sponsored or politically motivated actors.

Losses and Target Sectors: The annual cost of cybercrime in Africa is estimated at $4 billion to $5 billion. Banks and financial institutions topped the list of targeted sectors at 25%, followed by telecommunications and the public sector.

Spending Gap: Average cybersecurity spending in Sub-Saharan Africa does not exceed 0.03% of GDP (compared to ~0.25% in more mature global markets), with South Africa leading the continent at 0.19% of its GDP.